Training
After Shirō and Kakashi put on their weighted gear, Sakumo Hatake did not immediately teach them new sword techniques. Instead, he continued to refine their basics—repeatedly drilling them in fundamental movements like swinging, chopping, and thrusting.
At first, Shirō and Kakashi were dismissive. Both prided themselves on already having mastered these movements to near-perfection, executing them with precision whenever they sparred. Confident, they wielded their blades casually, expecting Sakumo to recognize their solid foundations and finally advance them to more intensive training.
But they overlooked one detail: today, they were wearing specially crafted weighted gear. Under such conditions, even a standard strike required serious focus and strength. Swinging casually was a recipe for disaster. Sakumo, however, gave no reminders.
Genius ninja like them, far beyond their peers, could only grow when constantly challenged.
Thus, under Sakumo's watchful, almost amused gaze, both Shirō and Kakashi struggled. Their arms trembled, and their blades wavered.
"This is unscientific! This isn't just weighted gear! Why does the sword itself feel heavier?!" Shirō growled, teeth gritted.
His suspicion wasn't wrong. A sealing mechanism inside the gear activated when they moved, producing a gravity-like effect. Not only their bodies but even their weapons were weighed down.
Shirō still managed to speak, thanks to his older age and stronger physique. Kakashi, though, flushed red from the effort of simply holding his tanto upright.
"If this were only simple weights, why would I need the Sealing Team's help?" Sakumo explained calmly. "These tools are special. With every movement, the weight increases. Don't worry—the current limit is five hundred increments, after which the burden begins to lessen. So, all you need is five hundred perfect repetitions. Believe in yourselves."
The effect was briefly released since they had not officially begun training, allowing the boys to catch their breath.
"Current limit?!" Kakashi gasped. "Does it increase every time?"
Sakumo smirked. "Of course. Don't you want to improve? My plan is quite humane compared to the battlefield."
"..." Shirō was left speechless. Then curiosity overtook him. "But… is the Sealing Team's technique really this advanced? When I asked Kushina before, she said it wasn't possible. She turned me down completely."
Indeed, when Shirō had approached Kushina Uzumaki, her sealing skills—though impressive, befitting her Uzumaki lineage—hadn't extended to this kind of specialized tool. She told him no one in Konoha had researched such applications.
Sakumo, however, revealed the truth. "You're the reason this exists, Shirō. After you revealed those secret techniques, the researchers gained new inspiration."
"..."
Kakashi fixed him with a blank stare, then mimicked Shirō's own habit of mocking him. "Heh. Tui!" He spat to the side.
Shirō wanted to bury himself on the spot. Why did I show off back then? I've dug my own grave.
Still, there was no escaping. Complaining aside, training came first.
---
Although their regimen was the same—sword basics drilled again and again—Shirō grew more exhausted than Kakashi. Wielding dual swords meant both his arms were trained separately.
And with the weighted tool's mechanism, his situation was worse. Each swing of either sword triggered the seal, doubling his increments. Where Kakashi faced five hundred repetitions, Shirō effectively endured a thousand.
At first, he thought this a blessing. If each arm only needs 250 swings, I'll reach the threshold faster. But reality was cruel. The weight did not simply double; it compounded.
To make matters worse, the seals are calibrated based on form. When their movements strayed from textbook precision, the weight increase was greater. Shirō and Kakashi quickly learned the hard way that sloppy swings punished them with crushing resistance.
It was ingenious. Rigid, yes, and unfit for real combat conditions—but still astonishingly advanced. Shirō muttered inwardly: If not for knowing Orochimaru's labs, I'd think this came straight from him. Too high-tech! This doesn't feel like shinobi training at all!
Still, the tool had merit. Proper form slowed the weight increase, rewarding discipline. Poor form led to a vicious cycle: heavier weights made it harder to stay precise, which in turn accelerated the burden.
By the end, both Shirō and Kakashi collapsed flat on the ground, drenched in sweat, their swords clattering uselessly beside them.
Sakumo shook his head and left briefly. When he returned, he carried his ever-present medicine box. For all his strictness, he never neglected their care. Shirō had noticed long ago that Sakumo replenished the box daily at the hospital, ensuring only fresh supplies remained.
He knelt and applied salves first to Shirō, then to Kakashi. This ritual never changed; Sakumo was careful to prevent any feelings of favoritism. Sometimes, Shirō would assist by applying ointment to Kakashi, which gradually deepened their camaraderie.
Afterward, as the boys lay sprawled in exhaustion, Sakumo began lecturing on chakra application. Though much of it had been said before, repetition carved the lessons deeper.
When doubts about ninjutsu arose, Shirō and Kakashi would first argue and test each other's ideas, then turn to Sakumo for judgment. Between Sakumo's vast battlefield experience, Kakashi's raw talent, and Shirō's encyclopedic grasp of theory, the little trio formed a strangely effective study circle.
And so, step by step, they grew stronger together.
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